Drinking carbonated beverages, even water, after exercise is not the best choice because people tend to drink less than they really need. You don’t want to choose what’s best for quenching your thirst quickly. Non-carbonated beverages are best.
Cool water or sports drinks are better absorbed and cool you better during workouts than warmer drinks.
Dehydration hinders aerobic performance, and a new study indicates it can also impair maximal strength.
You have to stay hydrated all the time, not just when you’re working out. Put a water bottle on your desk and sip it all day long.
Fruit juices are not easily absorbed during activity, but are good to drink after a hard workout, to help with both rehydration and replenish glycogen.
Athletes in team sports, as well as runners, need to remember to drink water during sports participation. The National Athletic Trainers Assn. recommends 7-10 oz. every 10-20 minutes.
Weigh yourself before and after a vigorous workout. If you’re one pound lighter afterward, you’ve sweated away about 16 oz. and should replace it by drinking 16 oz. (1 pint) of water.
Many people prefer sports drinks to water because they taste better and it’s easier to drink them more often. If the sports drink contains a small amount of carbohydrate, sodium, and potassium, the drink will effectively hydrate the person.
Important Points To Consider When Chosing your Sports Drink
· Sports drinks should contain between 14 and 19 grams of carbohydrate per eight-ounce serving (six to eight percent). A drink with more than ten percent carbohydrate may cause slow absorption, nausea, cramps, or diarrhea. A drink with five percent or less sugar solution may not provide enough additional energy to increase exercise length.
· Carbonation causes stomach bloating. Dilute carbonated drinks to half-strength.
· The correct sodium level is 100-110 milligrams per eight ounces. Sodium content in sports drinks can range from eight to 116 milligrams.
· Fruit juices have 10-15 percent carbohydrate and need to be diluted. Mix one part juice to seven parts water.
· You do not sweat out vitamins; there’s no need to buy drinks that include vitamins.
· Water is adequate for exercise under one hour. However, if the exercise is intense or lasts more than an hour, a sports drink will be beneficial.
· If you’re participating in a sports event lasting four hours or more, you need a sports drink that contains from 110 to 120 milligrams of sodium.
Be careful not to confuse sports and energy drinks. Sports drinks, such as Gatorade or Powerade, are meant for consumption during a workout and provide carbohydrates and electrolytes as well as aiding hydration. Energy or performance drinks have a variety of supplements and often stimulants and are meant to enhance performance or aid muscle building. Read the label and evaluate the safety like you would any other supplement. Sports drinks are more of a food, and are generally safe.
Don’t forget to drink water when exercising in cold weather. You still lose fluid when working out; it’s just not as noticeable.
You’ve been told to drink a certain amount of fluid during exercise, but it’s not always nicely measured out. Consider a gulp to be about an ounce.
McKinley Health Center, University of Illinois
Disclaimer
Our Fitness Articles have been collated from many sources. Whilst we are careful to only publish the ones we believe are most accurate and relevant we cannot guarantee their accuracy. Before you put any of the ideas into practise we suggest you seek advise from a professional in the sport you participate in. We cannot be held liable for any injury or problems that occur by following any advice published on our web site.
Dehydration hinders aerobic performance, and a new study indicates it can also impair maximal strength.
